• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.202-207
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• 2023

We investigated the neuroprotective effects of deca nano-graphene oxide (daNGO) against reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation in the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y and in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced Parkinsonian rat model. An MTT assay was performed to measure cell viability in vitro in the presence of 6-OHDA and/or daNGO. The intracellular ROS level was quantified using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate. daNGO showed neuroprotective effects against 6-OHDA-induced toxicity and also displayed ROS scavenging properties. We then tested the protective effects of daNGO against 6-OHDA induced toxicity in a rat model. Stepping tests showed that the akinesia symptoms were improved in the daNGO group compared to the control group. Moreover, in an apomorphine-induced rotation test, the number of net contralateral rotations was decreased in the daNGO group compared to the control group. By immunofluorescent staining, the animals in the daNGO group had more tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells than the controls. By anti-Iba1 staining, 6-OHDA induced microglial activation showed a significantly decrease in the daNGO group, indicating that the neuroprotective effects of graphene resulted from anti-inflammation. In conclusion, nano-graphene oxide has neuroprotective effects against the neurotoxin induced by 6-OHDA on dopaminergic neurons.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.673-677
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• 2013

In order to examine the effects of Korean cucurbitaceous plants on sonic hedgehog pathway and growth of cancer cells with over-activated hedgehog pathway, we measured the sonic hedgehog conditioned medium (shh-CM) induced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and cell viability of pancreatic cancer cell lines by treatment of cucurbitaceous plants. Among the tested cucurbitaceous plants, Actinostemma lobatum Maxim, Cucumis sativus L., Momordica charantia L., Schizopepon bryoniaefolius Maxim and Trichosanthes kirilowii Max, var. japonica Kitam showed the potent inhibitory effects (> 50 % at $20{\mu}g/mL$) on shh-CM induced ALP activity. We also evaluated the cell viability of pancreatic cancer cells treated with the cucurbitaceous plants. The tested cucurbitaceous plants showed the very weak effects on cancer cell proliferation but, T. kirilowii Max, var. japonica Kitam presented the inhibitory effect of 72.7 % on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells at $20{\mu}g/mL$. Taken together, we screened the effects of Korean cucurbitaceous plants on shh-CM induced ALP activity and cell viability of pancreatic cancers to search for the modulators of the hedgehog pathway leading to the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. T. kirilowii Max, var. japonica Kitam, among the tested cucurbitaceous plants, showed the inhibitory effects on the shh-CM induced ALP activity and the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2013

We investigated the effects of Ponciri Fructus (PF) and Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (AI) on the cicular and longitudinal smooth muscle of rat gastric fundus. Methanol extracts of PF (PFM) and AI (AIM), water-fractions (PFW, AIW) and chloroform-fractions (PFC, AIC) of the extracts induced relaxation in the rat fundic circular muscle pre-contracted by U46619. All extracts showed relaxation without significant differences among the extracts. In the longitudinal smooth muscle, PFM and its water fraction, PFW, showed multiphasic effects, fast relaxation and rebound contraction followed by lasting relaxation. AIM and AIW showed diphasic effects, transient contraction followed by lasting relaxation. However, PFC and AIC induced only relaxation in the rat fundic longitudinal muscle contracted by U46619. PFM showed significantly more effective relaxation compared with PFW, AIM and AIW. Hesperidin, flavonoids known as common constituent of PF and AI and it's an aglycon, hesperetin, induced relaxation in both fundic circular and longitudinal smooth muscle pre-contracted by U46619. Poncirin, known as flavonoid content of PF showed also induced relaxation in the both circular and longitudinal smooth muscle pre-contracted by U46619. These results suggest that both PF and AI has relaxing effects on the gastric fundus smooth muscle and its effects might be caused by their flavonoids constituents.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.42-55
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• 2015

Purpose: The object of this study is to observe the anti-ulcerative effects of BK-1202 (IGM), a mixed herbal formula consisting of 9 herbal drugs, which have been traditional Korean medicine for treating various digestive diseases, on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in rat. Methods: Three different doses of IGM extract (200, 100 and 50 mg/kg) were orally administered once 30 min before indomethacin treatment. Six hours after indomethacin treatment, changes in the gross lesion scores, fundic histopathology, MPO activity and antioxidant activities were observed. The results were compared with two reference groups treated with omeprazole (10 mg/kg), antioxidant and proton pump inhibitor, and DA-9601 (100 mg/kg), a standardized extract of the herb Artemisiaasiatica. Results: In all three doses of IGM extract, significantly decreased gastric damages were observed in the indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer rats, when compared with the indomethacin-treated control rats. IGM extracts also strengthened the antioxidative defense systems, decreasing the level of lipid peroxidation and catalase activity while increasing the superoxide dismutase and glutathione contents. IGM extracts showed similar anti-ulcerative effects to those shown by equal dose of DA-9601, and the effects of 50 mg/kg IGM extracts were comparable to those of 10 mg/kg omeprazole. Conclusion: The results obtained in this study suggest that IGM extract has favorable effects on the indomethacin -induced gastric damages by strengthening the antioxidative defense systems and enhancing anti-inflammatory effects.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.77-84
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• 2006

Objectives : To evaluate the neuroprotective effects of modified Bo-Yang-Hwan-O-Tang (BHT), we investigated the neuronal death protection effects to oxidative damages in N2a neuroblastoma cells. Methods : To study the cytotoxic effect of BHT on N2a neuronal cells, the cell viability was determined by MTT assay. To investigate the neuronal death protection of BHT, N2a neuronal cells were induced oxidative damages by H2O2, and assayed the cell viability and DNA fragmentation. We also investigated DPPH free radical scavenging effects of BHT by tube test. Results : In MTT assay, $500{\mu}g/ml$ of BHT was not showed cytotoxic effect on N2a neuronal cells. BHT protected N2a neuronal cells from H2O2-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner. BHT also protected N2a neuronal cells from H2O2-induced DNA fragmentation. BHT scavenged DPPH free radicals in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion : These data suggest that BHT may have strong anti-oxidant effects through the free radical scavenging and neuroprotective effects in neuronal cells.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2018

We investigated the effect of KIOM-79, 80% ethanolic extract of herbal prescription isolated from Magnolia officinalis, Pueraria lobate, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Euphorbia pekinensis, on streptozotocin-induced diabetes in Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were treated orally with KIOM-79 (500 mg/kg/day) 1) for 3 days prior to streptozotocin (60 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) injection or 2) for 9 weeks after establishing diabetes model to examine acute and chronic effects on hyperglycemia and biochemical variables, respectively. As a result, KIOM-79 had little effects on hyperglycemic changes in acute model. Sexual comparison, however, showed reduced hyperglycemia in female rats, especially 24 hours after streptozotocin injection with or without KIOM-79 pretreatment. In chronic model, streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia was well established, but KIOM-79 treatment showed no statistically significant effects on all variables. Thus, based on our findings KIOM-79 might have little effects on streptozotocin-induced insulin-dependent diabetes although it has been known to have hypoglycemic and antidiabetic effects on non-insulin-dependent diabetes models.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2021

Previous studies have found the significant adverse effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on stock returns and volatility. The effects varied with the confirmed cases and deaths. However, the extent of the effects have never been measured exactly. This study proposes a measurement model for the COVID-19 effects. In the proposed model, stock returns in the COVID-19 period are weighted averages of pre-COVID-19 normal returns and COVID-19-induced returns. The effects are measured by the contributing weights of the COVID-19-induced returns. Kalman filtering is used to estimate the model for the world and Chinese markets, in combination with 10 markets - five most affected countries (United States, India, Brazil, Russia, and France) and five best recovering countries (Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea). The sample returns are daily, obtained from the closing Morgan Stanley global investable market indexes. The full period is from September 24, 2018, to October 30, 2020, whereas the COVID-19 period is from November 18, 2019, to October 30, 2020. The contributing weights are significant and close to 100% for all markets. The COVID-19-induced returns replace the pre-COVID-19 normal returns; they are negatively auto-correlated and highly volatile. The COVID-19-induced returns are new normal returns in the COVID-19 period.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.309-320
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• 2001

Objectives : This study was done to investigate the protective effects of Samgiinjin-tang on liver injury of rats induced by CCI4 and d-galactosamine. Methods: All animals were divided into .5 groups, those were normal group(untreated), control group(treated with 0.9% Saline solution), sample I group(2,250mg/kg administrated), sample II group(4,500mg/kg administrated), Silymarin 200mg/kg administrated group. Liver injury of rats were induced by CCI4 and d-galactosamine, and then the serum transaminases(ALT&AST) alkaline phosphatase(ALP), lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) for enzyme activities, liver weight, lipid peroxidation and catalase, glutathione S-transferase(GST) for enzyme activities were measured. Results : The inhibitory effects on the serum ALT, AST activities in liver injury of rats induced by CCI4 were noted in both sample I and sample II group. The inhibitory effects on the serum ALP, LDH activities and the Lipid peroxidation of Mitochondria & Cytosol were noted in only sample II group. The decreased effects on the GST activities of Homogenate & Cytosol were inhibited in both sample I and sample II groups. The decreased effects on the GST activities of Mitochondria & Microsome were inhibited in sample II group. The inhibitory effects of the serum ALT, AST, LDH activities in liver injury of rats induced by d-galactosamine were noted in both sample I and sample II groups. In serum AST activities, sample II group. Conclusions : Samgiinjin-tang has protective effects against liver injury of rats induced by CCI4 and d-galactosamine. So it is required to study about the actions of mutual relation of medicines and patho-mechanism by experiment.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.488-495
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• 2019

Background: Timosaponin AIII (TA3) is a steroidal saponin extracted from Anemarrhena asphodeloides. Here, we investigated the anticancer effects of TA3 in MG63 human osteosarcoma cells. TA3 attenuates migration and invasion of MG63 cells via regulations of two matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-2 and MMP-9, which are involved with cancer metastasis in various cancer cells. TA3 reduced enzymatic activities and transcriptional expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in MG63 cells. TA3 also inhibited Src, focal adhesion kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, ${\beta}-catenin$, and cAMP response element binding signaling, which regulate migration and invasion of cells. TA3 induced apoptosis of MG63 cells via regulations of caspase-3, caspase-7, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Then, we tested several ginsenosides to be used in combination with TA3 for the synergistic anticancer effects. We found that ginsenosides Rb1 and Rc have synergistic effects on TA3-induced apoptosis in MG63 cells. Methods: We investigated the anticancer effects of TA3 and synergistic effects of various ginseng saponins on TA3-induced apoptosis in MG63 cells. To test antimetastatic effects, we performed wound healing migration assay, Boyden chamber invasion assays, gelatin zymography assay, and Western blot analysis. Annexin V/PI staining apoptosis assay was performed to determine the apoptotic effect of TA3 and ginsenosides. Results: TA3 attenuated migration and invasion of MG63 cells and induced apoptosis of MG63 cells. Ginsenosides Rb1 and Rc showed the synergistic effects on TA3-induced apoptosis in MG63 cells. Conclusions: The results strongly suggest that the combination of TA3 and the two ginsenosides Rb1 and Rc may be a strong candidate for the effective antiosteosarcoma agent.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.9-18
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• 2019

Objectives : It has been known to be correlated between phlegm and dementia from the perspective of oriental medicine, but it is unexplored whether herbal medicines to treat phlegm have pharmacological actions on Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study was to evaluate and to compare effects of herbal medicines to treat phlegm against AD in vitro. Methods : We selected 11 herbal medicines which treat phlegm and obtained each extract by boiling in 10-fold distilled water for 2 h. And we performed the assay of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory effects of 11 herbal extracts. Next, we evaluated neuroprotective effects of them against amyloid $beta_{25-35}$ ($A{\beta}_{25-35}$) plaque-induced toxicity in HT22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cells using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. To investigate whether they show the anti-inflammatory effects against lipopolysaccharide (LPS), we also measured the levels of nitric oxide (NO) in BV2 microglia cells using griess reagent assay. Results : We found that Gamiyeongsin-hwan (GYH) and Cheonghunhwadam-tang (CHT) exhibited remarkable AChE inhibitory effects. In HT22 cells, Arisaematis Rhizoma, Trichosanthis Semen and Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus suppressed $A{\beta}_{25-35}$ plaque-induced neuronal cell death. In BV2 cells, Cheongung-hwan significantly inhibited the increase of NO contents induced by LPS and GYH and CHT showed a tendency to inhibit LPS-induced NO generation. Conclusions : These results suggest that several herbal medicines to treat phlegm showed the significant effects on AChE inhibition, neuroprotection against $A{\beta}_{25-35}$ plaque-induced toxicity, and inhibition of NO generation. Therefore, we demonstrate the possibility that herbal medicines with treating phlegm has effects against AD.